Dallas's Sunsets
by HuntressDaugher
Summary: Johnny was wrong. Dallas had seen sunsets.


**This is a short little vignette about Dallas. I guess it could be a little insight into my **_**Hospitals **_**(see profile).**

The hood of the borrowed car was still warm, the engine having just been turned off. Despite this, she still hopped up on it, plopping down with a pleasing _thud_.

There was nothing here. The nearest house was a mile or two away, and town was even further than that. The trees, the brown, parched grass, and the lake—or more like a pond—were the only things around. The sun was almost ready to start setting. Almost, but not quite.

Dallas silently took a cigarette from his pocket and lit up. He casted a glance her way. Something was off, though he wasn't sure exactly what it was. Opening the door, he stepped out of the car and went to lean against it beside her. Swinging her feet slightly, she inclined her head back, using her fingers to comb her dark blond curls.

Her shoes were no longer on her feet. _Imagine that, _Dallas thought, a smirk appearing at the sight of her discarded flats lying on the ground. Wearing shoes was something she didn't enjoy.  
Her focus stayed on the sky. Nowhere else. Dallas kept his eyes on her.

"S'matter," he asked, exhaling his drag. She shook her head. Dallas made a face and elbowed her. "Come on. What's the matter?"

"Nothin', Dallas," she answered calmly. That was normal, she normally talked calmly.

"Something is." Something was wrong with him too. He didn't usually act like that. She shook her head slowly. "Marilyn," he growled.

"Dallas," she mocked. Her expression changed to one more curious. "Why'd you bring me out here?"

"I dunno. I guess for a change of scene," he told her. It was the truth, and she seemed to accept it.  
"Well, I like it."

Dallas crushed his cigarette beneath his shoe. Grinning, he took a seat next to her. Marilyn grinned as well, but then it faded slowly. He tried to study her more closely.

In the summer heat, she had chosen a short, lightweight dress, lilac in color. It made her legs look long, even though she wasn't the tallest girl in the world. Her honey colored hair stopped at her shoulders. From his position, he couldn't see her grey eyes. She didn't look different.

As if she felt his eyes on her, she finally faced him. There was no trace of her usual smile. Her eyes looked darker too. Finally, she said, "How much do like me?"

Startled, he didn't answer for a moment. His stomach fluttered; he knew how he felt, just not how to say it. But he gave her a lopsided smile and answered, "A whole lot. I can tell you that."  
Marilyn nodded, looking disappointed. "I thought you might say that."

"What's that supposed to mean," Dallas asked, confused. If emotions had walls, his, which had been briefly taken down, would have started to raise again.

"I hoped you wouldn't." With eyes closed, she took a deep breath. It was shaky when she released it. Her lower lip quivered, and she bit it.

"Hey," he said quietly. Dallas put a hand on her back. "There is something. What's wrong?"

It was so sudden, what she said, so blunt. Dallas forgot to breathe for a moment after he had finally registered her words.

"I'm sick, Dallas."

_No_.

"I-it's ok," he stammered, finally regaining control of his actions. "The docs, they…they can give you something, and you—you'll be fine." He wished there was a sound of finality in his statement, like everything else he usually said. But there wasn't.

"Dallas. It's not that simple. I wish it was, but it's not." She shook her head again, and Dallas slid off the car.

This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to feel like he did. She wasn't supposed to get sick. She _couldn't_ get sick. Dallas whipped around suddenly to face her, and he knew that it had scared her.

_Breathe. _That's what she would say. _Breathe, Dallas. Don't let it get to you._

His hands on either side of her legs, he leaned in. Marilyn's lips were parted when he met them. Her bare foot trailed slowly up his jeans, wrapping around his waist, and then her other foot followed. Dallas picked her up and moved her farther back on the car. She leaned back, dragging him along with her hands gripping his shirt.

Panting, they sat up when they had run out of breath. Dallas kissed the top of her head and pulled the smaller girl onto his lap. He moved a leg so that she fell down between them. Marilyn rested against his chest with Dallas's arms around her. They sat in silence while the sun went down. The sky turned pink, orange, even a bright red at one point.

For some reason, Dallas felt sadly content with their situation.


End file.
